Fines for 'unauthorised absence' from school

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  • zagfles
    zagfles Posts: 20,323 Forumite
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    Fireflyaway wrote: »
    Not personally but I know people who have as the savings going on holiday outside of school holidays were so great that a fine was worth it for them.
    I wouldn't do it because I feel strongly about teaching the importance of following rules and having a strong work ethic. Holidays are not essential.
    Having said that I think its disgusting how much holiday companies inflate prices during school holidays.
    Well don't use "holiday companies" then! We've been restricted to the school holidays for the last 13 years, but we've always managed to get good value holidays by avoiding using rip-off package holiday companies.

    If you book it all yourself, go somewhere where it's off-peak locally (eg in most of Europe, second half of August is off-peak), you can get good deals.

    Having said that you can sometimes get good value packages if you book late (don't believe these "early booking discounts", booking late is usually a lot cheaper although obviously you risk less choice) - we went to the Canaries in the Easter holidays last year for £1400 for 3 adults and a 16 year old, so £350pp which wasn't bad.
  • onomatopoeia99
    onomatopoeia99 Posts: 6,962 Forumite
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    Fireflyaway wrote: »
    Having said that I think its disgusting how much holiday companies inflate prices during school holidays.
    I don't, summer is when people want to go on holiday due to the better weather, so demand and prices will rise.

    It's like buying a house next to Brands Hatch, then complaining that motor racing is noisy.
    Proud member of the wokerati, though I don't eat tofu.Home is where my books are.Solar PV 5.2kWp system, SE facing, >1% shading, installed March 2019.Mortgage free July 2023
  • Silvertabby
    Silvertabby Posts: 9,021 Forumite
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    “ Having said that I think its disgusting how much holiday companies inflate prices during school holidays.
    Originally posted by Fireflyaway ”
    Apparently, the summer prices are the normal prices. They are reduced 'off season' in order to tempt customers during the quiet times.
  • Spendless
    Spendless Posts: 24,149 Forumite
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    Silvertabby wrote: »
    Apparently, the summer prices are the normal prices. They are reduced 'off season' in order to tempt customers during the quiet times.
    Never understood why holiday companies don't make this clear.

    eg June Holiday [STRIKE]£2,000[/STRIKE]
    off season discount price £1,000

    August holiday £2,000

    That would stop parents complaining that the prices go up in the school hols - though I'm unsure why people not tied to school holidays should get a discount.
  • Naf
    Naf Posts: 3,160 Forumite
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    Spendless wrote: »
    Never understood why holiday companies don't make this clear.

    eg June Holiday [STRIKE]£2,000[/STRIKE]
    off season discount price £1,000

    August holiday £2,000

    That would stop parents complaining that the prices go up in the school hols - though I'm unsure why people not tied to school holidays should get a discount.

    You've answered your own question, really. They aren't getting a discount, nor are the prices "hiked" during holidays. Basic supply & demand means that the value of the product varies across the year. We are used to this fact when it comes to purchasing currency to travel, and for some seasonal products like heaters/air conditioners, raincoats, umbrellas, duvets etc. But for the vast majority of what we buy we are used to retailers cushioning us from price fluctuations by accepting the variation in their profits across the year.
    Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
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  • theoretica
    theoretica Posts: 12,303 Forumite
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    Spendless wrote: »
    though I'm unsure why people not tied to school holidays should get a discount.

    It is not for their benefit. It costs the companies to maintain hotels and planes even if they are not being used much, so the owners want to get as much out of them as they can, even if it is not full rate.
    But a banker, engaged at enormous expense,
    Had the whole of their cash in his care.
    Lewis Carroll
  • Spendless
    Spendless Posts: 24,149 Forumite
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    edited 14 January 2018 at 8:22PM
    Still don't see why people going on holiday predominately in the 'summertime' (eg June/Early July even early Sept) should pay cheaper. There's more people who aren't tied to school hols than who are. Sorry don't believe that all these people would suddenly stop going away if the prices went up to the 'true' one.
  • ThumbRemote
    ThumbRemote Posts: 4,622 Forumite
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    cjdavies wrote: »
    If teachers did that, no doubt the parents who do it themselves will be quick enough to moan about it. Wait they do when there is a teacher strike!

    No, they don't.

    Some parents take their kids out of school for holidays.
    Some parents moan if there's a teachers strike.

    The two groups are unlikely to intersect that much.
  • takman
    takman Posts: 3,876 Forumite
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    Spendless wrote: »
    Still don't see why people going on holiday predominately in the 'summertime' (eg June/Early July even early Sept) should pay cheaper. There's more people who aren't tied to school hols than who are. Sorry don't believe that all these people would suddenly stop going away if the prices went up to the 'true' one.

    Have you never tried to book a holiday?. There is far more likely to be space outside of the school holidays than in the school holidays even though the prices are much cheaper.

    Holiday companies like any business aim to make as much money as possible so they wouldn't discount prices unless they had to.

    A good example is Centre Parcs they usually have a high occupancy rate throughout the year of around 97% but they are only making around 6% profit on their total takings. Do you honestly think they wouldn't increase their prices if they could considering the "small" profit margin they have?
  • beautiful_ravens
    beautiful_ravens Posts: 769 Forumite
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    Ok, its not me taking them on holiday, its their dad and his partner. Between them, theres 4 kids, 2 of them are 17. They want a family holiday and this is the only way they can pay for one. These arent circumstances that ''people should have thought of before having kids'' FGS.
    It would probably be 4 days off just before easter half term. I send my kids to school unless very badly ill, their attendance is very high. This is one of the only years where none of the 4 kids have exams or anything super important like that going on.
    Also my ex and his partner have said they will pay the whole fine because it was their idea. I can't afford to take them abroad or even pay to get their passports, so I really want them to go for the experience.

    Thanks to those who answered my question.
    ''A moment's thinking is an hour in words.'' -Thomas Hood
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